Car-ventilator



' W. THOMAS. Gar-Ventilator.

No. 224,248.. Patented Feb. 3, I880.

- 'ATTo uYS N, PET RS, PHDTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WAsmNGYoN D c 1 UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. THOMAS, OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

GAR-VENTILIATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 224,248, dated February 3, 1880.

I Application filed December 13. 1879.

To all whom it may concern: I

' Be it known that I, CHARLES W. THOMAS, of Belleville, in the county of St. Clair and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in (lar ventilators; and I do herebyideclare that the following is a full, clear, and .exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being bad to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a longitudinal section of my car-ventilator, and Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same.

The nature of my present invention relates to a ventilating and cooling apparatus for cars and vessels, the same being also applicable as a spark-arrester.

The main object of my improvement is to supply a car or vessel with fresh air cooler than the atmosphere and entirely freed from smoke, dust, and cinders;

To this end it consists, essentially, in an apparatus designed to throw water in spray into acurrent of air, which carries the spray against slatted partitions,through which the air passes preparatory to entering the car or vessel, thus not only effectively arresting the passage of smoke, dust, and cinders, but also giving a large wet surface in opposition to the wind, so as to promote evaporation, and thereby decrease the temperature of the air which passes into thecar, all as hereinafter fully described, and particularly-pointed out in the claims.

Referring by letters to the drawings, A designates a flue or air-duct, provided withabellmouth, 13, at each one of its ends, for the purpose of eifectively catching the air as the car box for the purposeof cleaning it out.

to which the apparatus is attached is drawn in. either direction. Under this air-duct is a water-box, G, which is separated from the airpassage by a removable slatted partition, 1). The object of makingthe partition removable is to afford access to the interior of the water- The box 0 is curved upon its under side, so as to conform to the curvature of the car-roof, upon which my apparatus will generally be placed, although such special form may be dispensed with when the apparatus is disposed under the car. I

The duct is provided with a hinged lid, E,

which may be opened so as to adjust any desired number of slatted frames F therein. These slatted ,frames are held by guides G, and are arranged so that their slats will be at different angles, as herein illustrated.

H designates a shaft, which passes through Y the water-box and under the floor of the airduct, power being applied to the said shaftin any suitable way, such, for instance, as by a wind-wheel, which will rotate during the movement of the car, or by suitable connections with the car-axle.

Upon this shaft and within the water-box are wheels I, provided with crescentshaped prot'nberances upon their peripheries. These wheels are arranged to extend through the slats in the movable bottom D, so as to project into the air-duct between the slatted partitions. I

The air-duct is provided with doors K, which open into the car, so as to admit the current of air intothe same after ithas passed through the slatted partitions. v

I have herein illustrated one of the doors K in a closed position and the remaining door open, for the purpose of turning the current of air into the car and preventing its escape through the end of the air-duct. The floor of the air-duct will be in this instance a little lower than the lowest part of the opening into the car, so as to prevent water from being thrown into the car by any sudden concussion,

though it is obvious that in applying my improved apparatus many slight details of construction and arrangement, involving merely the exercise of judgment, may be employed.

'When the car starts the shaft will revolve and air will enter that bell-mouth of the airduct which is opposed to the wind. As the current of air passes through the duct on its way to the car the revolving wheels will throw water from the water-box in the form of spray into the said current, which will carry it against the slats. This will not only prevent the further passage of smoke, dust, and cinders, but a large wet surface will be presented to the wind, thereby promotingevaporation, and consequently greatly reducing the temperature of 'air containing the products of combustion the air. A very great decrease of temperature with a slight decrease in quantity and velocity of air may be procured by increasing the frames with slats, and also increasing the nu n1- ber of wheels.

Portions of the floor or partition between the water-box and the air duct will be perforated to allow the dust and cinders to be precipitated into the water. The wheels will be made with rims heavy enough to promote reg; ularity in their revolutions, but wide and eom paratively thin, so as to penetrate the water with a minimum of resistance. The spokes of the wheels will be made thin and wide with the same view.

It is obvious that an apparatus constructed upon the principle herein described may, with slight modifications, be utilized as a sparltarrester, the spray thrown into the current of serving eiiectually to check the sparks.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The air-duct A, with a water-box, G, and slatted partitions F, substantially as set forth.

2. Tl16t1l1-(lll(;tA, with bell-mouths B, waterbox 0, slatted frames or partitions F, and rotary wheels I, with projections adapted to throw water from the water-box up into the passing current of air, substantiallyas set forth.

3. The air-duct A, water-box O, slatted frames F, rotary wheels I, and slatted partition between the air-duct and the water-box, substantially as set forth.

4. The removable slatted frames F, in com- CHARLES WV. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

FRED. H. FLEISCHBEIN, James H. THOMAS. 

